How to manage Dynamics NAV license in SQL

Currently, ERP/CRM is most important and critical systems in SME. Tight integrated system hardly determines company's flexibility and information safety. So one of the most important things in a coprporate sector products is to pay your ERP system developers and integrators, that will allow you get improved product and efficiently grow.
At the same time developer's licensing tricks strongly complicates life of the system integrators and supporters because of constrains on architecturing and many 'license not found' or 'access denied' issues.

1. License file
In MS Dynamics NAV you brought license files, those with .flf extension specify certain components and futures you'll be able to use. Short brief of included options in human readable form you can find in first section of license file (open it in Notepad, for example).

With installation disk your get a demo license file - Cronus.flf:
Microsoft Software License Information Copyright (C) 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved **************************************************************************** License number : RU-FF-000-0000-F Licensed to : CRONUS Russia ZAO Mr. Ivan Ivanov Cremlin 000000 Moscow Russia 0000-000-0000 **************************************************************************** Granule ID Name Amount Expires -------------- --------------------------------------------- ------ -------- 540 Demonstration Basic Granule 1 1,100 Company 2 1,200 Session 2 1,310 Database Expansion per 1 MB 100 1,370 Database Expansion per 1 GB 1 1,520 Server - Windows NT (Intel) 1 1,700 C/ODBC 1 1,800 C/FRONT 1 1,960 Test Integration 1 2,010 Server - Microsoft SQL Server Option 1 2,105 Allow new versions 1 4,900 Application Wide - Multiple System Langua 1 **************************************************************************** <... binary data cut ...>
This informartion you can lately find in "License information" menu of Dynamics NAV client.

2. License search order
From Technet forum:
- in current database (if corresponding granule was purchased)
- in master database
- base folder
- program folder

3. NAV license file in SQL server
License tables in SQL server 'master' database will be created duning NAV setup procedure or on first classic client connection. License files can be easily managed by classic client: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/dd338774.aspx

But if you a little paranoic and don't want to allow 'master'-database-write-access via NAV, you can place the license file manually:

1. in 'master' database create table '$ndo$srvproperty' with varbinary 'license' column:
   USE [master] GO CREATE TABLE [dbo].[$ndo$srvproperty]( [license] [image] NULL ) ON [PRIMARY] TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY] GO
2. insert data from license file:
   INSERT INTO [dbo].[$ndo$srvproperty]([license]) SELECT * FROM OPENROWSET(BULK N'C:\lic_file.flf', SINGLE_BLOB) as Lic